Excellence in Design

James Dart of the architecture faculty was honored for his design "Barn + Lath House."

James Dart A.I.A., special lecturer in architecture, recently received a American Institute of Architects' 2002 Honor Award for his "Barn + Lath House" at Historic Bartram's Garden in Philadelphia. The AIA Honor Awards, the profession's highest recognition of excellence in design, best exemplify excellence in architecture, interiors, and urban design. The jury described the project as "an ingenious addition to an historic barn that creates interest by contrasting the assembled nature of the new with the monolithic quality of the old."

The barn had seen many additions and alterations over the years. It had remained a working structure well into the 20th century, having been altered last in the 1920s. Dart's renovation converted the barn into meeting and exhibition space for educational programs. The lath house features bathrooms on the lower level and administrative offices on the upper level. Dart worked hard to maintain the barn's 18th century character, while providing modern comforts. For example, he used already-existing open joints in the plank flooring to hide registers for a climate control system. He redesigned the interior roof construction to evoke the openness of the original queen-post trusses as well as accommodate new insulation and lighting.

Historic Bartram's Garden, located at 54th Street and Lindbergh Blvd, Philadelphia (215-729-5281) is a public botanical garden.